Process for the preparation of salt-free pickled vegetables

Abstract

A process for the preparation of pickles which are salt free and taste nice, comprising adding to a vegetable such as radish, cucumber or the like, a pickling agent consisting of strained lees obtained by the brewing of natural rice vinegar, a suitable amount of a sweetening material and a small amount of an acid-neutralizing agent, and putting weight on the vegetable at a cold place of about 0°-10° C.

We claim: 
     
       1. A process for the preparation of salt-free pickled vegetables which comprises adding to a vegetable to be pickled a pickling agent consisting of strained lees obtained by brewing natural rice vinegar, and effective amounts of a sweetening material and an acid-neutralizing agent and placing the vegetable at a temperature of about 0° C.-10° C. for a period of time sufficient to produce a pickled product. 
     
     
       2. A process as claimed in claim 1 wherein the strained lees are obtained from natural rice vinegar brewed from 2 parts of rice, 1 part of koji (Aspergillus oryzae) and a suitable amount of water for about 3 months. 
     
     
       3. A process as claimed in claim 1 wherein the sweetening material is reduced maltose. 
     
     
       4. A process as claimed in claim 1 wherein the acid-neutralizing agent is a water soluble calcium salt. 
     
     
       5. A process as claimed in claim 1 wherein the vegetable is selected from the group consisting of daikon (radish), beet, turnip, cucmber, baby cucmber with petals, zucchini, carrot, celery, sweet pepper, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Chinese cabbage, ginger, burdock, lotus rhizoma and bean sprouts. 
     
     
       6. A process as claimed in claim 1 wherein the temperature is 2° C.-5° C.